Get in the FLW | February 2
The series is called get baptized and Will You by Bow your heads with me, please please. Thank you. Thank you for filling your spirit in this place Lord. We believe in you now to do a Great and Mighty thing in our hearts as we listen to your message through Pastor terrorist. Thank you Lord for being present in the name of Jesus. We praise you. Amen.
Hey, man, I still got a praise on more time and can be seated. Hey, man, good morning. Welcome to New Movement. I'm so glad that you are here to be a part of this second part of our series. Of this series get in the flow and I'm really excited for what God is doing this. We launched our church and its we are beginning to see God in the season and what he wants us to do what he wants us to hear. If so, how many excited about this message today cuz I've been talking about for the last couple weeks. I've been feeling this need to really return to the Bible to get back to scripture goes I believe scripture has power and I believe scripture can teach us what we need for life. And so we give you a heads-up. We have a lot of scriptures to look at today. If you did not bring a Bible with you. All you have to do is download our app and on our app. There is a Bible that you can use and it should be sent to the NLT version as the New Living Translation. That's the version that we normally use but I hope that this is clear and I know if you're not familiar with the Bible not sure where everything is. It's okay. We're going to put it on the screen. I'm going to walk it through to you and hopefully make sure that she can hear it as clean and it's clear as possible, to pray one more time. And we're going to get into our message Lord. Thank you so much for today for everything that has happened for everyone you've brought today and I pray I see you are speaking to them about whatever their next steps are. She would make it clear that you will be melt their heart and nothing would notice the best decision they could ever make thank you Lord for what you're going to say in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. And basically what we're talking about is accepting the life that Jesus has for us. Jesus has a life for us that he wants us to have we created 4hisglory we created in His image you are not made by mistake. There was nothing about a mistake about you that was intentional about you and he brought you into this Earth to fulfill a purpose. And the enemy knows that and that's why he works so hard to destroy that to take that from you. That's why he works so hard not to destroy Families 2 combinations to crumble churches, but we just believe that there is a life that Jesus wants us to have there's a light that he is Desiring of us that God is not a taker but he's a giver he wants us to receive an abundant life and not just in this life but in the life to come and so there is a life that he wants for us. But the thing is we got to accept it. We have to choose it over talking about this word flow. I grew up of course and Hip Hop Nation of Hip Hop kid lot of you guys have grown up in that when you hear the word flow for that immediately for me, you know, it comes back to the site for we would stand around and we would wrap and we would let those lyrics Just flow out of us. Whatever we said. It was amazing and show-stopping or we were battling somebody we like me he can flow. There's a flow that comes from the mouth of God as well. It's called his grace that the flow is his grace because we all need Grace and as I started this series started last week we started with what we the first step cuz he were talking about his five decisions that you need to make that I'll keep you in his grace. That flow is his grace speaking a word forgiveness speaking words of restoration over you guys words can bring life back to dry bones God's words can bring life back to dying messages life back into a parenting season that you're in so these five decisions what we've been talking about over the next five weeks that keep you in that flow that keep you in his grace. The first time we talked about last week was get started. Right. We just talked about sometimes you just got to get started. A lot of times we think about things to do. We plan things we have big Ideas intentions right should have could have would it but we never got started. Sometimes we just have to get started and we talked about that last week. Sometimes you just gotta say I'm going to start with you. I'm just going to receive that life that you asked was not going to be perfect. But you don't know what you don't have to worry about being perfect. God puts you and invite you into a family a local church to Journey with you to walk with you. Guess what to get on your nerves to make you mad right? Because sometimes I like the guy. Once if you could have done it by yourself you would need God. So some challenges of some pushes that come from people are there to perfect you and to change you and to help you. So this week I want to talk about getting baptized. It's the next step. That's another decision that some of you need to make some of you. I've already made I heard last week. I want to celebrate even now help me celebrate last week. There's someone decided I'm going to get baptized. It's an amazing.
I'm excited about it. I'm really excited about their decision. So today I want to talk about getting baptized. I want to start off right away and tell you about what baptism is baptism is a symbol of a decision to accept the life. Jesus wants for you. It's just a symbol of a decision that you made to accept the life. Jesus wants for you. Now. I want to show you this picture because I've been here some of you say, it's cold cold outside now, I'm from Minneapolis, Minnesota. And I got a few people here from Minneapolis Minnesota. My family's here my little brother while he's not my little brother anywhere anymore. He's my little big brother. You're my little big brother don't make sense. What happened? I don't know how to Gene. Skip me this is my little big brother. He's been there before Chef to write it just makes sense. Does this make sense to anybody? I don't get it his birthday. Let it yesterday happy birthday. All of his friends are from Minneapolis that are here. So when I talk about cold I know about cold and a coldest time I've ever been was in Chicago, Illinois. Now, this is a picture of Chicago. That was Taken 2 days ago. I was with my one of my best friends who were in Chicago. Properly prepare him for Chicago cold. Cuz Chicago cold is a different kind of cold. Anybody know can I get a witness on that? It will blow right through your bones. It'll Pierce right through you and when I was in Minneapolis, Rosen, Chicago, I had to dress like this right I had to widen have the Seahawks on at the time. But I had I had to dress warm. I had a jacket like this and get my jacket.
I had a jacket like this. I had a scarf because it's so cold that there was some decisions. that you needed to make I don't care how cute you are. I don't care what club. You plan on going to later that night? I don't care what you were wearing. It's so cold. You got to make a decision to wear some warm clothes by the good thing though about living in cold weather is that you get to come inside to warm with right? So when you came inside you were able to take off your coat take off your your hat take off your scarf cuz you can't keep your mouth. You know, let's go Xposed in that kind of weather. Would it be as warm minutes in years in the house or in the building? Are you in this room for me to wear all of this?
How ridiculous would it be for me to still be wearing this coat in the middle of a Tri-Cities triple-digit summer? That would look ridiculous wouldn't give me luck. If you walk into the church with a cold this big right now. I'm going to have some deacons escort you outside and pat you down. Okay, we're not playing after you've you be confused or somebody showed up with a trench coat and all this kind of stuff inside warm weather. I want to symbolize something about a decision. Can you put this this one up here on the on the what's not at this point that says this person you are only one decision away from a totally different life. See I'm wearing this coat to symbolize something because when Jesus asked you to accept a life when you make a decision to follow him you are changing climates. Because if I'm out in the cold, I need this kind of attire. I need to wear a coat because I cannot handle the environment. I cannot handle the conditions around me. How many of y'all know that this is a cold world?
Like Chris is home people who feel comfortable in the cold and I think that there's something wrong with them.
Talk about extreme cold. You're not supposed to be comfortable and cold weather just supposed to be uncomfortable and see when you're in cold weather. You need something to keep you warm because your body cannot keep up with the environment. I'm here to tell you that you do not belong to this cold world. You shouldn't feel comfortable in this cold world. It should bother you. It should push you. It should hurt you. That should make you something that feels uncomfortable about this world. But here's the deal when Jesus invites you to a life that he wants you to live. You come inside what happens if you don't take me to come inside, but what God can do is change the thermostat around you so you can handle the coldest of the world. You can handle what this life has to offer you, but with a peace that only got juice But what happens if there's too many people who have said I have accepted Jesus, but they still got all this song.
They have not left the life that they left behind. They are still wearing what they needed outside and what Jesus is saying is I have a life for you that allows you to take off. What you thought was keeping you comfortable take off what you got used to take off the things that you were leaning on to help you survive and I'm inviting you to allow me to lead your life in a way that I can set the thermostat in the temperature of your existence. Okay, I'll put this back cuz it's too hot to be preaching at all that real chop. So I want it I want to show you some things about what this looks like because getting in the flow and getting baptized as a decision you make to remain in the flow and effect that coaches said there aren't the sometimes. We're only one decision away. I'm something that would change the complete subject of your life one relationship One Dance One booty called one late night out. Right one job application away from a completely different life. I think there's something about allowing Jesus to lead you allowing Jesus to help you in the decisions that you need to make. So I want to show you something back here and are in the Book of Matthew and this tells us and shows us when Jesus got baptized. This is interesting and Matthew chapter 3 we hear about this man in John the Baptist in the Bible says John in those days John the Baptist came to Judea the Judean Wilderness and began to preach this. His message was repent of your sins and turn to God for the Kingdom of Heaven is near What are you saying is that my kingdom are sees me the Kingdom of Heaven has come to us. It's time to repent it's time to change because God is bringing his Kingdom close and he was basically the height man for Jesus ever seen a rapper and he's rapping and got the other guy in the back unicorn. That's right doing all the hits John was the height man for Jesus. He was pumping up the coming King. So one day John is John is out there baptized in this is John chapter 3, verse 13. This says Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan. River to be baptized by John but John tried to take her talk him out of it. I don't blame job at all. Jesus walking up to me and says can you baptize me on like this is a joke right. Now, you're not using this is a trick question. You're not getting me caught up in this Jesus. I'm not worthy too bad. I'm not going to come see the message was repent and be baptized so you can see John hesitated. Maybe we don't know what he said. Maybe say Jesus. I don't know if it's a good look. I don't think you talk to his cousin like that. He was his cousin but he was confused about this decision that Jesus me but uses no, I'm I need to be baptized. He says I am the one who needs to be baptized by you. So why you coming to me? That's what John says that Jesus says, it should be done for we must carry out all that God requires. So John agree to baptize him Jesus at that was not being baptized for his sin. But he was showing us that there was a requirement for something that there was an expectation that his father had of him that needed to happen with baptism. It wasn't for his since Jesus did not send but he needed to still be baptized. Can I just help somebody that baptism for some of you is not something you can bypass. I'm not talkin about people who are don't even know what baptism is. I talked about some of you need to see what this step is and that's why I'm talking about it today. So Jesus gets baptized in this what happens first 16 after his baptism as Jesus came out of the water the heavens were opened up and he saw the spirit of God descending on him like a dove and settling on him and a voice from Heaven said, this is my dearly loved Son who brings me great joy. At this moment the spirit of God the full got hit God the Father God the son God the Holy Spirit were present and the Holy Spirit is descending on him in front of all these people to show him. The people that he was the Messiah. He was the anointed one and From This Moment his ministry began. This was his inauguration. This was the beginning of his public Ministry. I remember Jesus is 30 years old. He's been building cabinets and building furniture and laying in the background chilling until the time was right. So this baptism ushered in for him and call to his ministry and it's the same thing for us. I want to unpack that a little bit. Let me break down some of the things that that this text is suggesting when John is saying to repent and asking the people to repent and to be back. Here's some of the things that's happening here. First to hear some steps. I want to show you. The first one is a repentance from self-leadership a repentance from South readership understand that John says repent that precedes the baptism. Other words for something in their hearts are saying to them I need to change that feeling of I need to change that feeling of things aren't right. That's a good sign your own awareness that you are doing. Something wrong is a good sign. That means you are hearing the voice of God. That means you are recognizing that what you are leaving yourself to do is leading yourself into destruction. And so the first step to that is to repent to say I'm done with completely relying on myself to leave myself and in the next step of that is to accept or the acceptance of Christ leadership. So you're saying God I want you to leave me you're saying Jesus you're in charge Jesus you guide me to help me make the right decisions and then finally is a commitment to Christ miss you and we see that in about two most baptism of Jesus. Jesus says, I'm no longer reading myself. I am submitting my Shelf to the will of the father and with this after mation out after his baptism. He began to carry out the mission of Christ. That makes sense. So let's look at something else. Can you see I know you think what about me? What is it have to do with me? Let's go to Romans to know book in the New Testament Romans chapter 4. Starting with verse Wildfire Bible says when people work their wages are not a gift, right? That's a good news. When I go to work. Don't treat me like this is a gift earnest money.
But something they have earned. But people are counted as righteous not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives Sinners other words, you can't find Salvation. You can't work yourself into heaven. You can't work yourself in the good favor with Jesus and fat you can afford the price and that's the very reason why Jesus died for us. So pockys teaching Hearing in chapter 5 chapter 5 verse 1. So therefore since we have been made right in God's sight by state other was believing that God is offering us this better life. We have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ the Lord has done for us because of our faith Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege. And when we now stand we confidently in joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can Rejoice too when we run into problems and trials for we know that they helped us develop endurance to look at this when you're giving your life to God when you're allowed Jesus to lead you even your problems are helping you. Even your trials are helping you. Even your pain is actually help. God recruits trials and says, let's use this to help them get better. Look what he says that it helps you develop your endurance.
Sing. Oh, yeah, we can just hurry. I lost my WIC helps you in your endurance verse 4 and endurance develops strength of character and character strengthens our confident. Hope of Salvation and this hope will not lead to disappointment for when we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fulfill our hearts with his love. I keep reading when we are when we were utterly helpless Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now. We not know now most people would not be willing to die for an upright person those someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good but God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while We were yet sinners. Did you see that? So so the gift and up of Salvation is not after we have somehow willed our self to stop sinning. It's our awareness that we're doing something that we need help and Jesus is I'm going to take care of the Salvation part of this while you're still trying to get it right and since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ. He will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his son while we were still his enemies. We will certainly be saved the life of the son of his son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends with of God. Let me go back to the point. I just share with you again, cuz I want you to see this again that it starts with a repentance of self-leadership. Sometimes your worst enemy is you. Let's just be honest. Somebody told you don't do that and you came up with a hundred reasons why you were right and guess what? We got trouble. Starts with saying I'm willing to give up my mic need to leave myself all of the time. Acceptance of Christ leadership in my like Jesus Lead Me and a commitment to his mission to that's what it feels like to get in the flow. It doesn't mean you're perfect. It doesn't mean you just everything just changes overnight. It just simply means I've got someone leading me that's leading me to my best life. Not the life. I'm trying to piece and hold together cuz the life is trying to piece and hold together will fall apart if you're in charge of it.
so let me show you some other good stuff here. So baptism. Is about making a decision to say I am responding to something that's happening in me. That's telling me I need to surrender my life with Jesus. And now I'm going to publicly show this I'm going to publicly give myself away to his servants. I love the Evangelist in the prophet Beyonce as she prophet prophesied in her epistle her song if you like it, you should have put a ring on it and that song she is philosophically and theologically developing a constructs to explain to her partner at that time that there was a lack of commitment in her area. She noticed the worth of herself and she's doing some self evaluation and existentially understand understand her position and she understands that this brother is not going to make a commitment to her and show her. response to this it says it's a put herself in a public place for others to know and for him to know that she is no longer available to this brother and so her her with chili and she really summarize this philosophical statement by saying if you liked it, this job is sex not really in the Bible, but if you like it you should have
You should have made a decision. That's what she said. You were one decision away from the best life that you could have had that we're Beyonce.
At what I'm trying to say is Beyonce ain't got nothing on Jesus. And Jesus is trying to put a ring on it. He's trying to say out committed to you. And I want you to be committed to me. He said I want you to I want everybody to know that you are my girlfriend a girlfriend or Hut on Netflix yet. It's to okay the metaphor there. I know it's a little weird man to say we're married for Jesus. I was trying to avoid that but just just deal with it for now. Okay, because really it's the best it's the best description of what baptism is. Like I understand if somebody wants to marry you but nobody like Mary's you in a closet and it don't tell nobody right like but nobody's like you want to get married you like. Yes, and they propose in like where's the wedding? I was just going to do it right now. Just don't tell nobody we married like that don't make sense. Don't look at me like no. No. No, it's not fair. No baptism says, yep, that's right. I made a decision to get my life to Jesus and I want everybody to know. I saw Matthew 20:28 Jesus give some awesome instructions as a church because as I mentioned that a part of this decision is to be committed to his mission and God does his mission through the church. And so the Bible gives us this beautiful scene with his disciples and she's getting ready to transition into a different Ministry. And so he tells his disciples to your house you're up there on the screen. Jesus came and told his disciples. I have been given all authority in heaven and in Earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all Nations what's instructions here to baptize baptizing them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all of the commands. I have given you write teach them to obey why do they need to obey his commands? Because his way of life comes with his instructions and he's telling him I need you to teach them and be sure of this I am with you always even until the end of the age. He wanted his disciples to bear fruit. What he wanted his disciples to do is to make other disciples not to works for some of you who have been baptized. Your job is not to sit down and chill. Your job is not to sit in the Pew and relax and rejoice that you been baptized because it explains. Let me go back and say this one more time baptism is a part of your salvation. It's not your salvation.
This is why we don't teach and we don't practice infant baptism. Because an infant has no conscious or aware of sin or the need to repent baptism comes with repentance. We don't practice that when we practice is dedication. We bring a child and dedicate them to the Lord but we don't practice infant baptism. Maybe some of you have been baptized as an infant and that's okay. It wasn't like you asked for it, right you were an infant baptism comes with a cognitive understanding that I'm making a decision. And so Jesus is now saying I need you since if some of you have been baptized to get in the game to get on a team and to help someone else live their best life. And so Jesus also says here in John chapter 15. I love what he says like this. He says remaining me and I will remain and you for a branch cannot produce fruit. If it is severed from the vine and you cannot you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.
Yes, I am the vine you are the branches those who remain in me and I am them reproduce much fruit for apart from me. You can do nothing. I'm just going to stop right there at that particular verse my last Point here. This is what I want you to understand what a life full of fruit looks like cuz maybe you're wondering what what is that going to look? Like? What is it? What is it supposed to look like after I've been baptized. What is what is the point? What what what's going to change about me? See a life after baptism is a life lived for Jesus. It's like saying Jesus. I'm going to live for you. I'm going to do this for you. I'm going to do everything you ask me to do, even if it's hard because I trust that your way way is better a life live after baptism is a life lived for his church. It's a part of the team that is helping others connect and be with Jesus and a life lived after baptism is a life lived for his world that the church is not something we keep to ourselves to church is not what we do on a weekend is who we are in the world and it means we come out into a bitter freezing -5 degrees Chicago weather without a coat and they say what is wrong with you. How in the world can you survived This Bitter political climate how in the world? Can you survive this bitter economic term term or how in the world? Can you survive that death in your family? You said I'll tell you how to survive you need to be warmed on the outside. I'm running hot on the inside because the holy spirit is leading my life. I want to close with this text. I love this text in Hebrew because she the thing about following Jesus as it takes faith. It really does it takes Faith to accept the fact that Jesus is really saying that he wants you even though you're messed up. And it takes me to believe that you even while you don't have the strength to do what he's asking that you just going to get started. And when you make that decision to be baptized listen, I don't be honest with you baptism was really pretty as really special but I'm not going to get into your dad's coming down from the sky. I'm just going to be honest, but I'm not I'm not going to guarantee that. I've never heard a voice booming from the atmosphere saying hey, this is my beloved daughter who I will wait. That would be amazing. I probably run out and let you finish baptizing yourself cuz I'll be a little terrified.
But something does happen and there are people who have gone through that experience is as you know, I just feel different. I know that look in their eyes when I when I pull them back out of the water and something starts Supernatural in their heart because they are saying he liked it and he put a ring on it and I'm willing to be in Partnership and relationship with him. I love this book of Hebrews it past this Hall of Fame this these this trophy of the greatest of all time in the faith not all of them are mentioned by name, but I love this passions as it breaks down. This thing is is how much more do we need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Duty and Brock Samson. Japheth Davidson when all the prophets By faith these people overthrew kingdoms rules with Justice and receive what God promised him. They shut the mouths of lions quench the flames of fire escape death by the edge of the sword their weakness was turned to strength they be in battle and put whole armies to fly. Women receive their loved ones back again from death, but others were tortured. Refusing to be turned from God they Place their hope in their better life after the resurrection somewhere jeered at and their backs were cut open with whips others with change in prisons. Some guy by stoning some was sawed in half others were killed by the sword some went without wearing skins of shape and ghost destitute oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world wandering over deserts and mountains hiding in caves and holes in the ground all these people earned a good reputation because of their faith yet. None of them had to receive all that. God promised. Are you hear what I'm saying? There's some people who died for this this decision they made they said I'm willing to be sawed in half. I'm going to be persecuted. I'm willing to die for this because I believe in it so much, but cautious. I still didn't give them everything everything. It seems like they deserve it. You just said they were too good for this world. The scripture says for God has something better. In mind for us.
Can I see better? God has something better in mind for you so that you do not reach but they would not reach perfection without us.
There's something God is waiting for there was a life that God is ready to give but he says I'm going to wait until this thing is all finished. I'm going to wait until I have completed it. I'm going to wait until you and this generation is ready to meet me and I love this picture this picture of the second coming of Jesus. You see the Angels coming down you see the cities in the background, but you see families reunited. You see people coming up from the grave. You see this great reunions and some of those people will be people who were sawed in half people who died for Jesus and they're going to see you and they're going to put you in the face and they're going to be so excited because someone else made a decision to stand in this cold world for Jesus and they wouldn't turn their back and it wouldn't get turned around even though they made mistakes. They got up time after time again and one. These days Jesus is coming back for those who are ready to meet him.
And it's going to be sure and it's going to be and it's going to be a celebration and we will tell you it's too late to make that decision to when he comes it'll be too late. It'll be too late. And so what we do today is why the Lord is speaking to us. We say Now's the Time. We do today is see now is the time to get started and maybe some of you. It's been speaking to you. He's been telling you you know, what do you need to respond to me? I want you to go public. I want to let everybody know that you made a decision for me. We're going to have a baptism in the first week of March and when we have these next step car don't want to walk this through to you broke. Can't you can you can look at this in our app for looking at the next steps tip? We have it right here on this car. But you can check I want more information about Jesus. That means I want to get started. There's a spot here. You can check I want to be baptized. I want to know more about it. I want to know more about girl track which we offer today was a part of the discipleship process. Find discover what God is sending you out to do but some of you today just need to understand that maybe you already been baptized. You said I I know I've been baptized but I'm not really living and stealing that freedom that I once felt I maybe you're saying I feel something even now I feel you. Chicken to me about me giving my life to you. And all I want to do for you is pray. I want to pray that you make your next step. I don't know what your next step is today. Some of you you just need to get started. Some of you it is back to his other is for you to repent other space for you to change and I want to pray for you today. Whatever your next step is. Can I just ask you to buy your head and close your eyes and when I would have helped you as your eyes are closed your head about it means nobody's looking at you. Nobody's worried about what you're going to do with no judgment in this room. I guarantee is not like Planet Fitness. There's really no judgment in this house. I baby you today or same password. I just need you to pray for me so I can make my next step. That's you just put your hand in the air so I can see it. God bless. You put it up. See you soon. Amen. I want to pray for father. I pray right now for the hands that were lifted. She will give them the strength and the courage to make their next step. I pray that for those who feel the spirit of God moving inside of them calling them to make A decision that will change your life forever that she will give them the power given the strength for them to know that you are with him and Lord may we leave here excited about the life that you have for us? And I pray right now for those who are making this decision for the first time. I'm praying for them Lord that they will accept the gift that you have for them. I speak against any evil spirit or any evil power that would try to persuade them that they're not worth it Lord. You have proven to us today that you down why we were yet sinners. So give them Victory get the strength give them joy and let them know that they are safe in your arms. And this is what we pray in the name of Jesus Amen.